Nearly Half of all Dogs 10 Years and Older Die from Cancer

This is the statement from The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen). The non-profit center is researching canine cancer hoping to better understand why both pets and people get sick.

TGen and the Van Andel Research Institute have created the Canine Hereditary Cancer Consortium to study naturally occurring cancers in dogs. This particular study will research saliva, blood and tumor samples from privately owned dogs via veterinary clinics nationwide. The research is funded by a $4.3 million federal stimulus grant, $500,000 from PetSmart, and $500,000 from Hill’s Pet Nutrition. This project will also involve drug development through a subsidiary of TGen and will seek partnerships with pharmaceutical companies. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/185565.php

The TGen research might save a few lives or extend some lives. However since the TGen subsidiary develops drugs and partners with drug companies, I hold little hope of significant benefit from this research. And remember, $4.3 million in federal money is paying for this research – paying TGen to develop new drugs and partner with drug companies…Your hard earned tax dollars at work.

Nearly half of all dogs 10 years and older die from cancer; this is heartbreaking and shocking statistics. While cancer research is needed, what a shame there cannot be research aimed at (1) preventing cancer in the first place through quality nutrition; and (2) a study showing what foods, food ingredients, and style of feeding (raw, home cooked, kibble, can) is statistically is linked to cancer and/or not statistically linked to cancer.

Without knowing what ingredients in pet foods can/are statistically linked to causing cancer in dogs and cats (and humans with human foods) this research will only pad the pockets of the pharmaceutical industry; stealing from the pockets of pet owners. When will someone of integrity (and lack of ulterior motives such as drug sales) begin doing research?